Introduction

The dataset used in this analysis is CDC’s Mapping Injury, Overdose and Violence datatset. The dataset is aggregated to the census tract level and contains death counts and rates for drug overdose, suicide, homicide, and firearm related deaths. The first objective of the analysis is to investigate rates of drug overdose mortality in the Southeastern United States. The second objective of this analysis is to investigate the distribution of firearm related deaths in the Southeastern United States.

Objectives

  1. Investigate rates of drug overdose mortality in the Southeastern United States.
  2. Investigate the distribution of firearm related deaths in the Southeastern United States.

Table One

Overdose Mortality Rates by State (Southeastern States), 2025
State Overdose Mortality Rate Median Overdose Rate Number of Census Tracts
South Carolina 31.26333 28.40 1200
North Carolina 28.94413 24.10 2420
Tennessee 24.22328 31.55 1628
Georgia 18.09629 16.40 2504
Mississippi 18.05554 14.90 668
Florida 17.65496 19.30 5032
Alabama 14.42448 20.10 1164

Table 1. Overdose Mortality Rates by State, Southeastern States, 2025

South Carolina and North Carolina reported the highest overdose mortality rates (31.3 and 28.9 per 100,000, respectively), while Alabama reported the lowest (14.4 per 100,000). Tennessee had the highest median rate (31.6 per 100,000), and Florida included the largest number of census tracts (n = 5,032).